Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (2006)

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

WHEREAS, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15, 1929, and he made a lasting impression as a key leader in the American Civil Rights Movement during the 1950s and 1960s; and

WHEREAS, during speeches and rallies in our nation’s capital and throughout America, Dr. King promoted his dream of a nation where everyone is treated as equals and is judged “not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”; and

WHEREAS, Dr. King’s outstanding leadership, his inspiring speeches and his diligent efforts on behalf of our nation’s at-risk and minority population have encouraged millions of Virginians and Americans to share his dream of civil equality and to bring this dream closer to reality; and

WHEREAS, Dr. King promoted nonviolence and compassion and his followers of all races and creeds rallied around him time and again, peacefully assembled in “a beautiful symphony of brotherhood” that represents his vision for universal equality, camaraderie and peace which we continue to strive for today in our homes, our communities and throughout our great Commonwealth and nation; and

WHEREAS, people throughout the world continue to look to Dr. King’s example as a model in human relations, and his efforts in the daily struggle for civil human rights have persisted since his assassination in 1968 and will continue until his dream of absolute freedom, equality and justice for all is finally realized;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Timothy M. Kaine, do hereby recognize January 16, 2006, as MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.